Westwood Athletics owners David Foster, on left, and Jake Rowell. (Jack Jacobs photos)
A new fitness club has joined the mix on Arthur Ashe Boulevard, where it’s situated next to a large mixed-use project that just broke ground.
Westwood Athletics opened last week at 1105 N. Arthur Ashe Blvd.
Behind the new gym are friends Jake Rowell, who owns another gym called RVA Performance Training, and David Foster, co-owner of High Point Barbershop.
Westwood Athletics offers strength and cardio equipment in a 4,200-square-foot space that’s open 24/7. The owners said Westwood is geared toward seasoned gym-goers, and the concept is an attempt to fill what they see as a gap in similar offerings in the city.
“We want to target people who are familiar with strength training and conditioning. Maybe we’re talking about people who were former athletes in high school or college. People that definitely know their way around a fitness facility,” Foster said.
Accordingly, Westwood doesn’t offer coaching or classes. Rowell’s other gym, RVA Performance, located nearby at 2522 Hermitage Road, offers those experiences and the idea is that the two gyms will be able to complement each other.
“(RVA Performance) is very much coaching based. Basically everything we do there is either group classes or personal training. This is really the opposite in a complementary sort of way. Over here they aren’t going to get the coaching, but they’ll get the 24-hour access, they’re going to get the huge variety of equipment,” Rowell said.
The new Westwood gym offers a single $150 membership package, rather than the typical model of multiple membership tiers. Rowell said that setup was intentional.
“I’ve owned gyms for a long time, and it’s always been an effort to simplify things. I think the less options the better,” he said.
The gym anticipates it’ll cap membership at 200 to 225 people, a number that the owners hope will foster a sense of community and provide members sufficient opportunity to use the equipment they want without a wait.
“That’s an incredibly common complaint for people coming into a gym. They can’t get access to the equipment they want, when they want,” Rowell said.
He said the gym filled out about 30 percent of its membership capacity in early signups.
The owners estimated that they spent about $140,000 to outfit the gym, which in addition to cardio and strength equipment features a sauna.
Westwood leases the property that had previously been home to Workbench RVA, a membership-based woodworking space. Alex Wotring of Thalhimer handled lease negotiations on behalf of Westwood.
Westwood Athletics offers strength and cardio training. The gym on Arthur Ashe Boulevard opened in October.
Foster and Rowell started to develop a friendship around 2015, when Foster began to work out at RVA Performance. The pair further bonded over their shared experiences as small-business owners and in early 2022, Foster pitched the idea of Westwood to Rowell, who suggested they go in on the new gym together.
“I have owned gyms and have a lot of experience there,” Rowell said. “Foster has, on the flip side, created such a good culture at High Point and got people very excited for High Point. I think we have relied on some of those complementary skill sets.”
Rowell launched RVA Performance in 2007 under the name RVA Crossfit and rebranded when the gym moved to its current location at 2522 Hermitage Road. He used to own Colonial CrossFit, which he sold prior to the pandemic.
Foster is one of the owners of High Point, which has locations in Henrico, its newest outpost, as well as in the Fan and Scott’s Addition.
Other gyms to open relatively recently in Scott’s Addition include CoreFitness RVA and Pure Fitness RVA.
Westwood Athletics, which owes its name to now-nixed plans to open on Westwood Avenue, opens as construction is underway next door on The Ace, an eight-story, $98 million mixed-use project at 1117-1201 N. Arthur Ashe Blvd. The project’s developers recently broke ground on the project.
Westwood Athletics owners David Foster, on left, and Jake Rowell. (Jack Jacobs photos)
A new fitness club has joined the mix on Arthur Ashe Boulevard, where it’s situated next to a large mixed-use project that just broke ground.
Westwood Athletics opened last week at 1105 N. Arthur Ashe Blvd.
Behind the new gym are friends Jake Rowell, who owns another gym called RVA Performance Training, and David Foster, co-owner of High Point Barbershop.
Westwood Athletics offers strength and cardio equipment in a 4,200-square-foot space that’s open 24/7. The owners said Westwood is geared toward seasoned gym-goers, and the concept is an attempt to fill what they see as a gap in similar offerings in the city.
“We want to target people who are familiar with strength training and conditioning. Maybe we’re talking about people who were former athletes in high school or college. People that definitely know their way around a fitness facility,” Foster said.
Accordingly, Westwood doesn’t offer coaching or classes. Rowell’s other gym, RVA Performance, located nearby at 2522 Hermitage Road, offers those experiences and the idea is that the two gyms will be able to complement each other.
“(RVA Performance) is very much coaching based. Basically everything we do there is either group classes or personal training. This is really the opposite in a complementary sort of way. Over here they aren’t going to get the coaching, but they’ll get the 24-hour access, they’re going to get the huge variety of equipment,” Rowell said.
The new Westwood gym offers a single $150 membership package, rather than the typical model of multiple membership tiers. Rowell said that setup was intentional.
“I’ve owned gyms for a long time, and it’s always been an effort to simplify things. I think the less options the better,” he said.
The gym anticipates it’ll cap membership at 200 to 225 people, a number that the owners hope will foster a sense of community and provide members sufficient opportunity to use the equipment they want without a wait.
“That’s an incredibly common complaint for people coming into a gym. They can’t get access to the equipment they want, when they want,” Rowell said.
He said the gym filled out about 30 percent of its membership capacity in early signups.
The owners estimated that they spent about $140,000 to outfit the gym, which in addition to cardio and strength equipment features a sauna.
Westwood leases the property that had previously been home to Workbench RVA, a membership-based woodworking space. Alex Wotring of Thalhimer handled lease negotiations on behalf of Westwood.
Westwood Athletics offers strength and cardio training. The gym on Arthur Ashe Boulevard opened in October.
Foster and Rowell started to develop a friendship around 2015, when Foster began to work out at RVA Performance. The pair further bonded over their shared experiences as small-business owners and in early 2022, Foster pitched the idea of Westwood to Rowell, who suggested they go in on the new gym together.
“I have owned gyms and have a lot of experience there,” Rowell said. “Foster has, on the flip side, created such a good culture at High Point and got people very excited for High Point. I think we have relied on some of those complementary skill sets.”
Rowell launched RVA Performance in 2007 under the name RVA Crossfit and rebranded when the gym moved to its current location at 2522 Hermitage Road. He used to own Colonial CrossFit, which he sold prior to the pandemic.
Foster is one of the owners of High Point, which has locations in Henrico, its newest outpost, as well as in the Fan and Scott’s Addition.
Other gyms to open relatively recently in Scott’s Addition include CoreFitness RVA and Pure Fitness RVA.
Westwood Athletics, which owes its name to now-nixed plans to open on Westwood Avenue, opens as construction is underway next door on The Ace, an eight-story, $98 million mixed-use project at 1117-1201 N. Arthur Ashe Blvd. The project’s developers recently broke ground on the project.
Looks awesome. Congrats you guys!
These two people know their stuff. They are a welcome addition to Arthur Ashe Blvd. GET SWOLE!!!
Great spot and great concept!
Congrats yall!